Improvement in axles for vehicles



S. ARNOLD', W. L. CHASE &. H. M. ARNOLD. K

.K Axles for Vehicles.

UITED STATES SETH ARNOLD AND W ILLIAM L. CHASE, OF WOONSOOKET, AND HENRYM. I

PATENT QEEICE.

ARNOLD, OF PAWTUOKET, RHODE ISLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN AXLES FOR VEHICLES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 153,034, dated July 14,1874; application filed June 2, 1874.

To alt whom 'it may concernv Be it known that we, SETH ARNOLD andWILLIAM L. GHAsE, of Woonsoeket, Providence Plantations, and HENRY M.ARNOLD, of Pawtucket, and in the State of Rhode Island, have invented anew and useful Extension- Axle for Wheeled Vehicles; and we do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, reference being` had to the annexed drawings, which representan axial section of the preferred form of our extensible axle.

Our invention is more especially intended to meet the wants of travelingmerchants, showmen, and all whose business calls them to traveldifferent sections of the country with wheeled vehicles, and who iind itwould be an important advantage ifthetrucks of their vehicles couldbe'readily changed from one gage to another. Our .improvement consistsin making` the axles of vehicles for common roadways in severalsections, suitably connected together, so that they may be readilylengthened or shortened to adjust the wheels or trucks to any desiredgage.

lo enable those skilled in the art to make and use our invention, wewill proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The axle illustrated is made of iron, in three sections, namely, themain shaft A, and the journals B and O. A long,` socket is formed ineither end of the part A, to receive, respectively, the shanks B and Oof the journals B and O, which are then clamped or secured by set-screwsD passing through taps iu collars a formed on the part A.

On unscrewing the set-screws the journals ymay -be adjusted in andl out,to shorten or lengthen the axle, to obtain any desired gage for thetrucks.

The abovedescribed form is but one of many in which our invention can beembodied; and though, for several reasons, we con-v sider this thepreferable form for iron axles, we desire it to be distinctly understoodthat our claim of invention is not restricted to this particular form.Thus, instead of connectil'ig` the parts by socket-joints, they may beunited together by lap-joints; and, instead ot making' the axle in threepieces, it may consist of only two, adjustably connected together midwaybetween the journals.

OI" course our invention is just as applicable to wooden axles as it isto metallic ones.

The sockets may be formed in the journalf sections of the axle, if founddesirable, the central shaft forming;` the male section thereof.

/Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is

1. An extensible axle for common road` wheeled vehicles, made insections endwise adjustable, substantially as set forth.

2. An extensible axle for wheeled vehicles, composed of a main shaft, A,with longitudinal sockets, in combination with journals l; and O, withshanks E O, adjustable within said sockets, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the socketed main shaft A, journals B and O, withshanks B C and set-screws l), as set forth.

4. In an extensible axle composed of sections held together in socketjoints, bands or collars surrounding the soeketed portion of said axle,substantially as and for t-hepurpose set forth. f

SETE ARNOLD. WM. L. CHASE. HENRY M. ARNOLD.

Vitnesses:

ALFRED ALLEN, GEoRe'E CHATTEETON, Jr.

